Twisting The Tides Painted Skin 2
by Beersmoo
Summary: Summary: What if Jing had chosen Xiao Wei instead? Bunch of one shots, all centering around Xiao Wei and Jing, and what would have happened if something changed at one point of the movie. Warnings: Fem-Slash, Lesbians-whatever you call it, violence, extreme drama. This is JingWei Xiao Wei and Jing
1. Skin for a Heart

(Disclaimer: The movie was great and everything, but sadly, none of it is mine.)

Fanfiction: Twisting The Tides

Summary: What if Jing had chosen Xiao Wei instead? Bunch of one shots, all centering around Xiao Wei and Jing, and what would have happened if something changed at one point of the movie.

Warnings: Fem-Slash, Lesbians-whatever you call it, violence, extreme drama. This is JingWei (Xiao Wei and Jing)

I promise my HP fanfics are not abandoned, they just seem to get longer and longer actually, since I've been typing whenever I have spare time and haven't really been able to organise. Add to the fact that exams are coming soon, I started cello lessons a few months ago and have been dealing with_a lot_of stress…

_Skin for a Heart_

"If you go to Tian Lang country, you will suffer so much you will want to die."

"I just want to know what it feels to be human."

The admission slipped eagerly and desperately from her lips before she could stop herself. How low had she fallen, a demon begging from a human. But then, Xiao Wei so badly wanted to be human, and she was too far now to take them back.

Jing was shocked into silence. Seeing a demon, a proud, powerful, cunning beast reduced to such a state left her wordless. The beautiful woman was kneeling in front of her, gazing desperately into her face, pale skin shivering from the aftermath of the ice.

Hearing no reply, Xiao Wei bowed her head, eyes slipping to the ground. She had failed. She had come so far, suffered so much, and still she was unable to receive a willingly given heart. Even after telling her past to a stranger (_who looked so much like Pei Rong)_ hoping to gain some understanding, she was still doomed to be a demon.

She would never feel the warmth of the sun on her face, nor see how beautiful a sunset really was. She would never cry in joy or happiness, or weep in sorrow. The ice would soon catch her, and she would be dragged back to that cold, cold prison, doomed to suffer for eternity. She would never experience love.

Abruptly, she stood, leaving the still silent princess gazing after her slumped shoulders, as she gathered her Pi Pa and retreated to a corner of the room to sleep. She gazed at the wall, fingernails clawing into her arms as she tried to keep from going back to Jing, to just accept her humiliation, and the empty, dull ache where she should have felt sorrow.

Unwillingly, her mind flashed back to Pei Rong and Wang Sheng, 500 years ago. To a time when she was still free, and was so close to being loved. To see their faces again, to know that Pei Rong, no, Jing had once again managed to earn the love of a man willing to die for her and not the ugly, horrible demon, was like a slap in the face.

Her fingers tightened until they drew blood, and still she was unable to sleep.

Jing's mind whirled. She had thought that Xiao Wei wanted Huo Xin's heart, but as it turned out, it was her own that she was after.

A demon she may be, but it appeared that she was simply desperate to be loved. After suffering so much, it was no wonder the beautiful woman had become desperate to become human somehow. Demons could not be loved, but humans could right?

Shooting a worried glance at Xiao Wei's back, her thoughts wandered to Huo Xin. Suddenly, the feelings stirred up by him seemed to pale in comparison to the fluttering in her stomach ever since Xiao Wei had first entered the bath with her. Her face burned and she tried desperately to erase the stirrings inside her heart.

_No, I love Huo Xin. He's perfect, and courageous and brave, and beautiful._

_But so is Xiao Wei._

She stood up, and walked on shaky legs to the other corner of the room, lay down and fell into a troubled sleep.

Hours later, the demon rose gracefully from the floor. She gathered her clothes, wrapped her Pi Pa, and was about to leave when a thought made her pause.

Once she left the room, without the safety of Jing's warmth, she was completely vulnerable to the ice.

She turned swiftly and walked until she reached the princess, gazing at the face and tracing the outline of the golden mask, not daring to make a sound.

Lately, she had developed a fondness for the scarred woman, which had made her plans that much more difficult. After the previous night however…

Instead of the soft amusement and warmth she usually got, all she could feel was despair, pain and… longing?

The last emotion brought the fox demon to a pause. Longing. It felt similar to her longing to be a human, yet different at the same time. She had been disappointed after Jing's silence, hurt even, but that had been when she realised she would forever be doomed to stay a human.

This however, was a lot like the feeling years ago, when Wang Sheng was still alive. It was stronger, and burned fiercer and brighter. She wondered how she had ever managed to ignore it before. It seemed her desperation to fulfil her desire had blinded her to this emotion.

She had fallen in love with the strong, brave and beautiful princess. She had fallen truly and deeply for the scared woman, and the thought of leaving through the door now seemed nearly unbearable.

Despair washed over her immediately. There was no future for her here, just like there was no future before with Wang Sheng. She was a demon, she killed humans to survive. Once word got out that she was not really a person like the rest, they would be out to kill her immediately.

Besides, Jing had made it clear that she only desired a life with Huo Xin.

Her courage regathered, she strode out the doors without a second thought.

Jing woke up at the crack of dawn. She shot up and checked the room, but Xiao Wei had already left hours before. All traces of her stay were gone, save for the smell of azaleas lingering on her clothes.

The revelation caused a sharp pain to run through her. She shakily took off the outermost layer of her robing, and brought it close to her, burrowing her face in the fabric.

_Xiao Wei._

The only thing she could think of was the quiet expression of acceptance she had glimpsed from the entertainer, which she had only seen once before on a soldier just as he launched a suicidal plan that ultimately led to her army's victory in battle.

She realised with a start that without her, the demon stood no chance against the ice. She would be frozen and brought back to be tortured again for who knows how many years.

Tears dropped slowly onto her yellow clothes, as she thought only of Xiao Wei, sitting somewhere and playing her Pi Pa as the ice slowly crept up her hands and to her face.

There was nothing to do now. Xiao Wei was gone, and Jing had a marriage to fulfil. It was her duty, to her country and her people as their princess. To Huo Xin, because he almost died for her.

She wiped away her tears, dressed and left the room with a heavy heart.

Try as she might, the demon was unable to leave the princess out of her sights for long.

She had been sitting on a meadow, leaning against a rock and playing a song on her instrument when Qu Er had found her and alerted her to the danger the princess was in.

Xiao Wei had then asked Qu Er to take her to Jing, and not long after, the entertainer was being carried by Qu Er's claws in her fox form.

They had soon arrived to a chaotic scene, with Jing hanging in chains and Huo Xin leading his rapidly depleting troops in a rescue for the princess. Qu Er released her claws, letting the white fox drop through the air as the Witch Doctor raised his dagger to Jing's heart.

Transforming mid-air, the demon landed on the Witch Doctor, and a struggle soon ensued. Pang Lang, the demon hunter tried his best to help, but soon gave up and went to assist Huo Xin.

Eventually, Xiao Wei managed to stab her claws through his stomach, but not before the man had sliced a deep gash in her abdomen. Having not eaten any hearts recently, she stumbled weakly towards Jing, releasing the scarred woman from her bonds and laying her down gently onto the ground. She managed a few steps before falling to her knees, and laying down in an ever increasing pool of blood.

"_Jie Jie!"_Qu Er cried out. She rushed to the weakening demon, hands scrabbling to the wound. "Let me help you," she babbled, "What do you need? I can get you a heart, look, there's so many people around, don't worry, please, don't leave me alone…"

Xiao Wei breathed in deeply, closing her eyes briefly before gazing upwards to the eclipse. "It will not work, Qu Er," she murmured, "I am too weak, even were I to eat a thousand hearts now, I will still die." Her voice grew fainter and her body started to once again cover in ice.

Huo Xin had rushed to Jing's side, avoiding glancing at the dying woman nearby, cradling Jing in his arms. "Princess! Jing!"

Jing woke up slowly, tired but alert. She smiled up at Huo Xin, before realising that she could hear someone crying out in anguish.

"Xiao Wei, _don't die_, _please!_"

She froze, whipping her head to the side and watching in horror at the bleeding figure on the ground. The masked princess made a move to get up, but Huo Xin shouted.

"Jing," he worriedly said. "Jing, don't move, you're still weak. That woman is a demon, you were right. I was under her spell the whole time, I was charmed by her beauty. Don't go near her!"

"She's a good person!" Jing snapped back, pushing the general away from her. She crawled slowly towards Xiao Wei. "She deserves to be loved!"

Huo Xin dazed and in pain, simply watched as the princess stubbornly crawled over the stone ground. When she reached the body of Xiao Wei, Qu Er watching sadly, Jing's heart broke in two.

Faintly, as if it was very far away, Xiao Wei could hear Jing's voice. She couldn't remember ever closing her eyes, but she tried her best to open them again. Her eyelids felt like lead.

"_Xiao Wei!"_

Her vision was growing blurry and she could barely feel her frozen, but somehow the fox managed to turn her head and was met with a tearful face with a golden mask.

"Your Majesty… Jing…" Her voice was so soft, Jing had to strain her ears. She lay down until she was face to face with the demon, and shakily brushed the fallen hair away from her face.

"Xiao Wei," she hugged the demon towards her, and whispered in her ear. "I-"

Xiao Wei smiled into the princess' neck, head dropping as she no longer had the strength to support it.

Jing froze before sitting up and shaking the icy body. "Xiao Wei! Xiao Wei!"

After a few minutes, the masked woman simply hugged the body tightly and cried. The pain in her heart ached fiercely, nothing could stop the demon's sure death.

A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she glared at Pang Lang.

"Princess, I want to offer my heart to Xiao Wei."

Jing stared in shock before croaking out, "Really? You would do that?"

Pang Lang shot a teary glance at the dumbfounded Qu Er, replying, "Yes, because she deserves a heart, and I want Qu Er to be happy."

Qu Er walked over to Pang Lang and slapped him, snapping, "Idiot! Are you really that eager to give up your human life!"

Pang Lang shook his head, smiling. "Qu Er, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If that means becoming a demon, that is perfectly fine with me. We need to hurry, Xiao Wei is dying, hurry and transfer my heart!"

Jing sat back while Qu Er began the hurried process of transferring the demon hunter's heart to the fox. She turned to Huo Xin.

"Do you love her?" His voice was strong, but not unkind.

"Yes." She gazed back firmly, receiving a small smile in response just before the general passed out.

When it was done, Qu Er regretfully took Pang Lang, flying away to find some hearts before he went crazy. "Take care of Xiao Wei or I will come back and kill you!" She threatened. Jing rushed towards Xiao Wei, the body now completely covered in ice. Even as she hugged her, the ice on the demon's body did not melt, nor did she awaken. A glance at the sky revealed that the solar eclipse was almost over.

"No…" the scarred woman whimpered. She lay the body down on the ground and cradled it close, placing a palm on the icy cold hair.

"Please." She whispered. "I love you." The golden mask was taken off, and she pressed her lips gently onto cold, unresponsive ones.

The two women were lifted in the air slowly in the air, until they were bathed in the lukewarm glow of the eclipse, a bright light engulfing their bodies. It flared once before disappearing, and two figures dropped gently at a slow pace from the sky.

Once again on the ground, Jing sat breathless and exhausted, with Xiao Wei's head in her lap. She bowed her own head, the hair becoming a curtain to hide her sorrowful expression. _It hadn't worked…_

Feeling slowly came back to the fox demon's senses. _Am I dead?_

Slowly, Xiao Wei opened her eyes, seeing Jing above her. She froze at the crumpled expression, sorrow pouring out of the princess. A sudden ache in her chest made her gasp softly.

Startled, Jing stared into Xiao Wei's bewildered expression, before scooping her into an embrace in one smooth motion. "Xiao Wei," she breathed, her expression full of awe and caring.

Xiao Wei, still confused, hesitantly put her arms around the trembling warrior. Something hot and salty slid down her cheeks and into her slightly agape mouth.

_Tears?_She tilted her head up, and basked in the warmth of the sun. _So this is what death is. How wonderful. If I had known that dying would mean feeling human and being with Jing, I would have died earlier._

"You're not dead." The voice jerked her out of her musings, and she met the tearful smile of the princess. "You're very much alive."

Jing watched in surprise as Xiao Wei laughed, a bitter scornful thing, filled with anguish.

"Of course," she whispered. "How could I forget. This ice muse have gotten to me after all, and this is my new torture. I wonder, how will this end? Taunting me with what I couldn't have? Or showing me Jing's death, reminding me of my failure. Seeing as I can cry, this fake princess is here, it is probably both. This is a new level of cruel."

The princess snatched the demon's hand and placed it in her clothes, directly on top of her breast, and cradled the woman's head in her hands. Staring straight into her eyes, she slowly and deliberately told her, "I am alive. Feel my heart beat, Xiao Wei." She watched with fascination as the woman's cheeks turned pink and her eyes widened.

"Impossible." The former demon replied.

"Pang Lang saved you. Qu Er transferred his heart to you, and the solar eclipse turned you human. I'm sure you can feel your own heart beat."

Xiao Wei concentrated, and Jing felt a big smile break out as the most beautiful expression of awe and wonder appeared on her beloved's face. The newly turned human pulled her hand back and placed it over her heart, fingers trembling, and she gasped sharply when she felt the resounding beats of her heart inside her chest.

Xiao Wei looked up at the princess with the utmost gratitude and love before flinging her arms around Jing's neck, sending them falling towards the ground. Without a second thought, Xiao Wei pushed her lips against the scarred woman, who responded with equal intensity.

"I love you," Jing breathed out.

Xiao Wei gave a tiny, bright smile before replying, "I love you too."


	2. Having Second Thoughts?

**(Disclaimer: The movie was great and everything, but sadly, none of it is mine.)**

**Fanfiction: Twisting The Tides**

**Summary: What if Jing had chosen Xiao Wei instead? Bunch of one shots, all centering around Xiao Wei and Jing, and what would have happened if something changed at one point of the movie.**

**Warnings: Fem-Slash, Lesbians-whatever you call it, violence, extreme drama. This is JingWei (Xiao Wei and Jing)**

**I promise my HP fanfics are not abandoned, they just seem to get longer and longer actually, since I've been typing whenever I have spare time and haven't really been able to organise. Add to the fact that exams are coming soon, I started cello lessons a few months ago and have been dealing with_a lot_of stress…**

* * *

_Having Second Thoughts?_

"_You are not human."_

"_You are correct. I am a demon."_

Jing thought back hard to the earlier revelations as the demon brushed her hair from behind. Now she would see whether Huo Xin had really fallen for the beautiful entertainer.

Distracted by the sight of her now unmarred skin, she shakily places back the mask onto Xiao Wei (_her's!_) face. The demon gave a slow, sultry smirk, before warning her, "You need to come back within 6 hours, and take back your own skin, or it will begin to disintegrate."

She hastily made her way to Huo Xin's quarters, missing the brief flash of pain on the masked face.

* * *

Walking back to her own rooms, now back in her skin, she spotted the demon sitting in the opened doorway, gazing at the moon with a blank face.

She strode over angrily towards the demon, putting her arm around the neck in a choke hold, the other holding a dagger to the stomach of the woman.

"What- what did you do to him?" She hissed furiously, tears threatening to spill down her cheek.

"Does it matter? It's been proven, hasn't it, that Huo Xin is just like other men. He only cares abo-" her words were cut off in a gasp as the dagger entered her stomach.

"Stop it." Jing's voice was low and dangerous. "Stop whatever spell you have on him. Now."

Xiao Wei gasped and coughed as the arm around her neck tightened. "I don't…" she choked out.

"Don't lie to me!" The princess threw the woman out of the building in a rage. "I saw his eyes, demon. They turned pure black. What did you do?"

Xiao Wei stared at the ground, breathing harshly and rubbing her neck, not daring to meet the other woman's eyes.

"Tell me!" She cried, slapping the unmarred face before her. Xiao Wei's head jerked to the side, and she replied emotionlessly.

"I cast a spell so he would be charmed by my appearance. I did it when I was dancing the other night."

"_Why_?" It was whispered out.

"I wanted to make a bargain with you. If you had believed that Huo Xin fancied my skin, I was going to ask you to trade. My skin, for your heart. Then, I can become a human."

Jing was dumbfounded. What an elaborate, cunning scheme. Just as expected of a demon. Xiao Wei looked up at her with wide eyes, shivering.

"Please. I like you. I just want to know what it feels to be human, to be lo-"

"How dare you. You filthy demon. It's a wonder how anyone could love you."

The demon jerks back and bows her head, her hair falling over the sides of her face like a long, black curtain of velvet.

"I want you gone by tomorrow evening. You have one day to collect yourself, plan your route and release the spell on Huo Xin. In exchange, I am willing to travel with you until the border, no further. If I ever see your face again," She steps back and glares at the woman on the ground, who makes no move to get up. "You will regret it."

* * *

When she woke up, the demon was nowhere to be found. Her own clothes were, however, neatly arranged, and as she stepped out of the bath (which she had spontaneously decided on, seeing as she was still rattled from the previous nights' events) she found a clean towel waiting for her.

Later that morning, she found Huo Xin and demanded that he tell her where Xiao Wei was.

"Who, your majesty?" he seemed confused, but hid it well.

She sighed impatiently, before replying. "The entertainer. The dancer you seemed so enthralled with. A few days ago. I happen to know that you also _spent the night with her_. Where is she, Huo Xin? Where are you hiding her?"

He snapped out of his reverie. "Your majesty," he spoke worriedly, "I would never spend the night with a woman. It is my duty to protect you. Furthermore, there was no dancer that night. We gathered around the court and listened to a Guzheng player. Are you feeling all right?"

She looked at him with wide eyes, before striding away, unsettled.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon, and everyone in the palace said that there was no such person as Xiao Wei, and nearly every single one had asked if she was feeling unwell.

_What in the world happened?_

In the evening, Huo Xin came to speak with her, and hinted at his feelings for her. Returning the embrace, she couldn't help but think of the beautiful demon she had rescued.

_She must have decided to leave earlier. Good._

* * *

But she still couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling in her stomach that had plagued her since morning.

The routine continued for a few weeks.

She would wake up, with her clothes for the day neatly laid out. After her mind-cleansing baths (which had become an every day occurrence) she would find a clean towel waiting for her.

She had asked a few servants about it, wanting to thank the one who had managed to do such a wonderful job each morning and night, but every single one said they had no idea who had done it.

After going through the motions of the day, she would take out the Pi Pa and pluck a few strings. She had found it a few days after _that night_, shrouded with a plain white cloth. Gradually, she found the courage to touch it, and pluck a few strings now and then.

The princess would then put away the Pi Pa and get ready for bed, taking her bath and slipping on the clothes once again waiting for her. She would sit in front of the mirror and take off the mask, staring at her skin, imagining that a beautiful woman with long hair and pale skin was smiling over her shoulder. The thought would send an aching feeling shooting through her before the scarred woman stamped it down and slept.

* * *

More and more people noticed that the princess had lost her vigour.

Princess Jing had begun to go through the her duties in a monotonous haze. In between spare moments of time, she would walk around the complex in a daze, and she was caught staring in a mirror for minutes at a time.

She also began to ignore Huo Xin. After some time, he stopped trying to talk to her personally, since she avoided him at all costs.

A few weeks after the day their princess had asked about some strange woman named Xiao Wei, the princess had begun to carry a Pi Pa with her, and the poor soul who had questioned this had nearly had his head sliced off. If they had seen their princess trailing her fingers over a cloth- covered instrument while talking to her adivsors, no one spoke up about it.

* * *

A woman bumped into Jing one day, spilling all her goods onto the ground.

Immediately, the princess squatted, helping to pick up the different herbs, and strange smelling box which she chose not to question. It had blood stains on it.

Handing back the items, she was dazzled by the young girl's beauty in front of her. Like a demon.

"Xiao Wei," she breathed out, momentarily overwhelmed by the rush of memories, the smell of azaleas, a flash of black hair turning around a corner, a small smirk.

The girl reared back in shock, before hurriedly bowing her head, walking backwards briskly.

"Sorry to trouble you, but my name is Qu Er. You must have been mistaken. Terribly sorry, Princess. Thank you for picking up my herbs and medicines. I really must go get these to Xiao We- Jie Jie now."

She turned and ran, and the princess stared after her back until she was lost in the crowd.

* * *

That night, Jing didn't know why, but she decided to stay up.

After her bath and putting on her clothes, she lay down and began to feign sleep. She had already had the foresight to set the mirror in front of her, angled so she might see the door.

Before long, a black shadow in the shape of the a fox ran along the walls. Jing continued to keep her breathing slow and even, watching the fox reflected in the mirror as it ran towards the door.

Once it had exited the room, the princess jumped up and snatched her mask from beside her, running towards the exit.

She followed the shadow as it shortened, keeping a safe distance. The shadow ran on and on until it had become the normal length of a shadow, and reunited itself with a white fox hiding under a tree.

* * *

Hiding behind houses and trees, she followed the fox's slow trot away from the castle, out of the town to a dilapidated hut.

The fox's gait, already stumbling and shaky, slowed even more as it approached the house. A small bird cried out, circling the house once then following the fox through the open door.

The brave warrior tiptoed slowly towards the door, being careful to stay out of sight and making sure not to step on any branches or make a single sound.

"… Jie, this is ridiculous! Look at you!"

A deep coughing fit ensued.

"Qu Er, I have already told you, there is no way to persuade me to stop. Jing was kind enough to get the truth into me despite my stubbornness. I'm finished, I won't try to trick someone into willingly giving me their heart."

Though the voice was weaker and hoarse, it was definitely the voice that had haunted the scarred princess' dreams.

"But… but you have wanted this for so long! You even got tortured for 500 years in that cold, forbidding ice because of love! How can you give up? Anyway, why are you so fixated on that princess? There are others."

"That was when I was foolish enough to believe that I could be a demon and still be loved by a human. Jing chose Huo Xin, just like Wang Sheng chose Pei Rong at the end." A second later, "And how ironic is it that they look so alike."

"Then… then at least eat this heart. You haven't eaten for weeks, maybe months! I'm sure you'll think differently once you've eaten."

A pause ensued, and Jing's heart beat erratically as she strained her ears.

"I can't." A whisper.

There was a loud smashing noise. "Why not? Is it because of Jing? Should I kill her?"

"No! Don't… don't…"

Finally, Jing dared to look past the door. She saw a shock of white just as a figure on a bed fell into the arms of the young girl from the market.

"Jie jie," the voice, _Qu Er,_ Jing's mind supplied, was gentler, more resigned and less proud. "Have you fallen in love with Jing?"

"… yes." A tear slipped out, hidden by a golden mask.

* * *

Qu Er placed Xiao Wei back on the rotting bed before asking, "Will you be here when I return?"

"No, I believe not," was the hushed reply from the fox demon.

The bird demon's head bowed down low. "It's almost sunrise. Let's head to the meadow." Xiao Wei nodded before slowly, gradually a white, shivering fox was left in it's place. Qu Er's limbs transformed into wings and claws, and Jing hurried out of the way just as Qu Er swooped into the sky, claws holding onto a small ball of white.

Jing ran after them, refusing to rest for even a second. Her lungs burned fiercely and her breaths came in short pants but still she followed. They disappeared over a large hill, the princess following at a distance behind.

As Jing reached the top of the hill, she could see the bird demon descend towards a huge rock.

* * *

Qu Er stopped at a large, grassy meadow filled with beautiful yellow feathers, laying the fox down against a rock. A moment later, the fox was gone and Xiao Wei was laying against the stone, her face turned upwards to stare at the solar eclipse.

The months had not been kind to her. Her features got clearer as Jing walked nearer and nearer. Her hair, once a long, flowing river of black, was now shock white, along with her skin. There were wrinkles around her faces, like stress lines. Where once she was slim, she was now a lot more skinny, and the beautiful clothes she wore were dirty and dusty, hanging off her shivering frame.

The bird demon stood over her, then changed to her bird form and circled the fox as the ice crept closer and closer.

* * *

Jing sprinted towards the demon, pushing her aching muscled beyond their limits in her haste to reach the beautiful, dying demon.

As she ran, getting nearer and nearer, the ice reached the fox demon, and small chips of ice were forming on her skin. The ice beneath her that covered the ground melted instantly with each step she took.

When the masked woman finally reached the demon, her entire body was still and completely encased in white. She descended upon her, spreading her robes open to cover the demon and clasped her arms around the woman, clutching the entertainer's body.

"Xiao Wei, Xiao Wei…" she murmured over and over, hysteria creeping into her voice as she rubbed her hand over and over the white hair.

When the ice had all melted away, the woman's body slumped in her arms, breathing faint and barely noticeable. Jing swallowed the lump in her throat, before calling out to the sky.

"Qu Er, save her, please!"

The bird descended in front of her, transforming into a young girl again, before looking at the fox in her arms sadly and shook her head. "My magic will not work on her, I am not strong enough."

With that, the girl beat her two wings and flew away, a pained expression on her face and a sorrowful cry erupting from her mouth.

Jing finally fell silent, simply choosing to bury her nose in Xiao Wei's white hair, breathing in the smell of azaleas.

"Xiao Wei," she whispered unseeingly, "I give my heart to you. I love you."

Suddenly, a strange force lifted the fox out of the warrior's arms, taking her higher and higher into the sky, until it was but a speck in the shadow of the eclipse.

A bright white light seemed to burst from her, and a thousand tiny pieces of ice fell like snow to the ground, while the entertainer's body dropped from the sky. Jing quickly stood and caught the petite woman in her arms, falling to her knees.

* * *

Her breath caught in her throat. Xiao Wei once again looked beautiful, vibrant and young. Her hair was back to it's lustrous shade of black, her skin smooth and unblemished. Most shocking of all, was the steady thumping of a heart, and a strong warmth radiated from the beauty.

Xiao Wei opened her eyes to see Jing crying. She raised her hand and cupped the face, using her thumb to wipe the tears.

"I feel warm." Her voice was small and hopeful. "You really… do you love me?"

Jing laughed shakily, nuzzling her nose into Xiao Wei's palm. "Yes."

* * *

**So. Here's the second chapter! I'm on a roll here, while I still have the inspiration fresh in my mind.**

**I just finished playing Perpetual Motion in D Major and ow… my fingers ache. Add that to the ache already in my arms and on my hands…**

**Hope you guys like this. I think the next chapter will be some sort of 'fifty themes' kind of thing.**

**Beersmoo**


	3. Themes

**(Disclaimer: The movie was great and everything, but sadly, none of it is mine.)**

**Fanfiction: Twisting The Tides**

**Summary: What if Jing had chosen Xiao Wei instead? Bunch of one shots, all centering around Xiao Wei and Jing, and what would have happened if something changed at one point of the movie.**

**Warnings: Fem-Slash, Lesbians-whatever you call it, violence, extreme drama. This is JingWei (Xiao Wei and Jing)**

**I promise my HP fanfics are not abandoned, they just seem to get longer and longer actually, since I've been typing whenever I have spare time and haven't really been able to organise. Add to the fact that exams are coming soon, I started cello lessons a few months ago and have been dealing with**_**a lot**_**of stress…**

* * *

_It should have been you_

The Princess closed her eyes and gasped for air as her body was abused over and over again, hearing the man rave behind her, calling out for the woman they both wished had lived instead.

"I wish it was you… Jing… come back to me… Jing…"

Finally she collapsed to the ground, gasping and holding her throat as the drunken General stumbled away, muttering , "It should have been you…"

The woman lay on the floor in silence.

_I know._

* * *

_Peaches_

A dainty hand sneaked out and snatched the last fruit from the basket, eliciting a cry of disappointment.

The shorter woman smiled at the other's pout, her eyes briefly growing green before she smirked.

"Well, you know how much I love peaches."

* * *

_Flying_

The Princess' screamed out as she was lifted high into the air.

"Put me down!" She shrieked. Her only response was a tinkle of laughter from below.

"Qu Er, a little higher?" Xiao Wei asked. A squawk was heard, before the bird demon flew higher, causing the golden-masked woman's screams to increase.

"I don't want to fly anymo-re!"

* * *

_What more do you want?_

_Those who know me say… Your heart is overflowing with sorrow._

_Flashes of a slim body dancing in the courtyard, her sultry voice whispering in her ear, green eyes glowing in the water…_

"Jing!"

She snapped out of her stupor, looking up into the worried visage of her General.

"Are you alright?" Her fingers continued to stroke absentmindedly on the instrument beside her as she stared off in space, the haunting melody continuing to echo in her mind.

"Those who know me say, what more do you want…" She whispered.

* * *

_Rain_

The brunette flinched when she heard rain echo in the distance. Memories of biting cold ice creeped up in the back of her mind, and she unconsciously started to shiver, rubbing her arms repeatedly.

"I'm home!" The voice called out from the door of their apartment, but the woman continued to sit in front of the window and stare.

"Xiao Wei!" Her lover cried out in worry, wrapping her arms around the rocking woman on the floor.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, but her lover wiped them away and whispered, "I'm here, we made it, don't worry…" Xiao Wei slowly calmed down. "That was a long time ago. I'm here."

* * *

**Yep, I know it's short, sorry…**

**But yeah. I fished this out from what I could salvage, because my computer crashed and all my stories were gone. The ones in progress, the ones already finished, the ones being beta-ed…**

**So I needed to find my back ups, and re type those that didn't have any… *cries***

**So this is a sort of slight filler(?) I suppose, at the same time it's a practise because I have never done this type of fic before.**

**Beersmoo**


	4. The Second Chance

**(Disclaimer: The movie was great and everything, but sadly, none of it is mine.)**

**Fanfiction: Twisting The Tides**

**Summary: What if Jing had chosen Xiao Wei instead? Bunch of one shots, all centering around Xiao Wei and Jing, and what would have happened if something changed at one point of the movie.**

**Warnings: Fem-Slash, Lesbians-whatever you call it, violence, extreme drama. This is JingWei (Xiao Wei and Jing)**

* * *

_The Second Chance_

The scarred beauty closed her eyes and hugged the ice covered body. She had finally gotten a taste of being a real human, and in the process had awakened feeling that tormented her as she had hung from her chains.

The sight of the Princess in her skin, covered in ice and nearly dead brought a fierce pain to her heart. She had fallen in love with the Princess, and in the process of fulfilling her plans and realising what that strange ache was, she had nearly killed her.

The two bodies were raised up by some strange force, and she fell deeper into a sleep-like state, memories of the woman's voice, her strong, lithe form standing tall, her eyes glistening with tears swimming up in her mind.

_'What if I gave you a second chance?'_

Those were the last words she heard in her mind before the demon-turned-human was lifted into the light of the eclipse.

* * *

She opened her eyes to find herself sitting on the ground before a fire, with the Princess fully armoured and masked sitting opposite from her.

Looking around in bewilderment, the demon realised with a start that she was back in that first night she had spent after first being rescued by Jing.

The Princess gave her an odd look and she hurriedly started to sing and play again, while her mind raced.

This was her second chance… she could change Jing's fate!

Sadly, she had already killed off the Prince of Tian Lang, but no matter. She was nothing if not cunning, and she could plan something to deal with that irritating marriage duty.

The ice soon came and she acted shocked, running behind the Princess and basking in the familiar warmth. She would do this right, and no matter what fate she came to, she would see to it that the woman she loved had a happier ending.

The demon deliberated what to do about Qu Er, deciding it was best to tell her everything and probably act as a demure, mild-mannered guest to the Princess.

Her eyes took on a haunted look as she watched the Princess jump from her horse and climb onto a higher surface before she too lay down to sleep.

Whatever it took.

* * *

When she danced before the guards of the border, Xiao Wei again used magic to affect Huo Xin's mind, but instead she gave a mental nudge for him to at least consider his feelings for Jing. When the men started to leave, she hid in the shadows and watched as Huo Xin and Jing's eyes met. She cringed, clutching her chest as phantom pains struck her.

That one look said many things, and the demon did not notice the Princess' staring after her as she hurried away.

* * *

The days went by, with Huo Xin gazing after the Princess more often than not, and the demon simply stayed quiet and helped the Princess with anything she needed.

At nights, she would slip out with Qu Er and travel to Tian Lang, secretly killing them off slowly, getting the bare minimum of hearts she needed to survive from her kills.

They tasted disgusting. She soon chose to eat as little as possible, preferring more often than not to forego eating the hearts, not even stopping to drink at least a little blood.

* * *

"My Princess, your clothes for the day are here. Later, you have a meeting with one of the court advisors, and the Jiang province has sent some ambassadors to talk about trading routes…"

The demon continued on, informing the Princess of her duties for the day while helping her to get ready and look presentable.

After setting down the comb, she shifted back and let the scarred woman stand up, looking humbly at her feet. She bowed once and turned to leave but a warm hand gripping her wrist caused her to pause.

She turned, still not looking up and asked, "What does my Princess require?"

A hand tilted her chin up and the entertainer looked up reluctantly into the confident brown eyes of the Princess.

"Xiao Wei, walk with me." Her voice left no room for complaints, and she trailed after hesitantly, mind still thinking about events to prevent and ways to get the General to confess to Jing.

It was already a week since their arrival at the border. If things continue at this rate, she might need to give him another push, or find some way to get Jing to make another move…

The thought of Jing in Huo Xin's arms suddenly made her stomach churn, but she ignored it. All part of the plan.

As they walked through the corridors, the Princess asked, "What do you know of the feud between the trade lords?"

Taking the sudden question into stride, she replied calmly. "Lord Cheng has been arguing about the rights to allow passage through his town and set up business. He wants to start charging a toll fee for travelling traders who want to pass, as well as charge new traders who want to set up business in the market."

"And what do you think is the best course of action?"

Replying almost flippantly, the dancer replied, "Knock some sense into the idiot and slap him with a fine for attempting to charge traders when it is not his right to decide such."

She almost slapped herself immediately after the words left her mouth.

The Princess turned sharply to her, and Xiao Wei fell to her knees. "Forgive me Princess! It was not my right to speak as such."

She was shocked when instead of rebuke or even punishment, the most gentle laugh she had ever heard came from above. The masked woman tugged her gently to her feet, before smiling amusedly and saying, "That is actually a good suggestion. Now come along."

* * *

Still shocked when ten minutes later, she found herself sitting beside the Princess, giving advice about various political matters as Jing asked for it, Xiao Wei couldn't help but smile a little.

The usual court advisors had at first raised their complaints when Jing, after seating herself looked up to her right at the woman she had brought in with her standing at a corner and patted the spot beside her. The dancer hesitantly stepped up and sat at a distance until Jing actually took one of her sleeves and pulled her nearer.

Jing silenced the men with a look before asking the first lord to speak, where he proceded to ask for permission for the rights to set up some sort of deal to supply the guards of the border with armour, whereupon Jing turned to Xiao Wei and asked her insight before making a decision.

By the end of the session, even her court advisors agreed that Jing's decision to bring in her guest to court had helped them all see new solutions that seemed impossible before.

And so, Xiao Wei became a regular fixture at court, the only person in the whole palace who was granted the honour of being invited to sit beside and give advice to Her Majesty.

* * *

Another six days later, and here Xiao Wei was walking through town, pondering.

She had finished off the last of Tian Lang the previous night, but had sustained a few injuries as well. She could not eat though, not unless she wanted to compromise her position.

Meanwhile, the Princess had taken to bringing her everywhere, not just to court. The scarred Princess would take her to training, to meetings, even when she just wanted to ride to the seaside. She would talk about anything and everything, even play silly games with her. Like… a pet or a friend.

Two days before, Xiao Wei was playing a song on her Pi Pa while the Princess relaxed. Her hand flit between songs, and her eyelids fluttered closed as she played out a song about spring and flowers. She soon finished, twisting her hand in a flourish, with a quiet sigh escaping her.

Suddenly, something sweet pressed on her mouth and her eyes flew open in shock to see Jing holding a slice of peach, prodding it on her lips. She pressed her lips firmly together, her expression slowly turning to one of annoyance as Jing insistently pressed the slice of peach against her mouth, the juice starting to dribble slightly on her chin.

Her lips opened to question the Princess, but Jing took this chance to push the juicy fruit into her mouth with a smile. She closed her mouth and chewed, looking confused while Jing laughed and continued to feed her peaches. "I saw you staring at these when the two servant girls passed by us earlier."

And from then on, whenever the two were alone, Jing would feed her peaches as soon as Xiao Wei finished a song with a strange, soft look in her normally hard gaze.

* * *

It had been three weeks, and Xiao Wei felt both a sense of accomplishment and a strong but dull ache in her chest and head.

Though it was exactly what she had been planning for, it did not make it hurt any less when she turned around the corner and saw Huo Xin hugging Jing just four days back.

Outwardly, it seemed like nothing was different. Jing would carry out all her duties, bringing Xiao Wei everywhere and anywhere. Since that sight though, Huo Xin would smile slightly whenever Jing entered a room and Jing would answer with another smile back.

And so Xiao Wei started to distance herself. Now that Huo Xin had finally done something, anything, the demon was not needed right?

The morning after that incident, after preparing Jing's armour, she stood up hastily and bowed, ignoring Jing's confused look and walked away to waste the day with Qu Er, watching over the Princess from a distance.

Slowly, their time together dwindled until one day, Xiao Wei missed their daily 'ritual', the song playing and peach feeding. Jing was left alone to stare into the courtyard, a plate of sliced peaches sitting untouched beside her.

* * *

Xiao Wei was weakening.

The injuries she had sustained in that last fight with the witch doctor were now infected, and the fact that she had not eaten any hearts since then save for some blood were definitely not helping.

She woke up with a blinding headache and a fever, and struggled to get up. Qu Er chirped beside her and she raised a finger shakily to her mouth.

"Shh… the Princess is still sleeping," she murmured, rising up from the floor .

Leaning heavily along the walls, she made her way to the Princess' room. As expected, the Princess was only just waking up.

Silently, she laid out the armour and clothes for the day, then standing to a side as the Princess changed. She moved forward to help comb her hair when a wave of dizziness hit her and she stumbled slightly.

Jing turned around and asked with a worried expression on her face, "Are you alright?"

The demon merely stood up straighter and bowed low before straightening and replying with a smile. "Nothing my Princess. Forgive me for worrying you."

"Are you sure? I haven't seen you around lately."

The demon knelt down and began to unknot the tangles in Jing's hair. "It is nothing my Princess. Think nothing of it."

"Well then, I want you to accompany me today. There is an important meeting with the King of another state, and I would like you to be there. No excuses."

Her hands paused, before the fox inclined her head in acquiescence.

* * *

As soon as the meeting had started, the beautiful fox demon had a bad feeling.

The court advisors were nowhere to be found, and save for themselves and the King, they were completely isolated.

The King reeked of bear. She could see faint traces of magic leaking from his shadow, and she knew he had sensed her weakened state when his eyes glowed purple upon laying her eyes on her.

He knew.

She flinched when one particular old wound twinged.

Well, this was going to be difficult to deal with.

* * *

At the end of the meeting, as the Princess made to leave, Xiao Wei raised her hands, her eyes flashing once before the sword that had flown silently towards the Princess was deflected towards the wall.

The bear demon was undeterred, and simply sent a wave of his magic towards the two.

Xiao Wei whirled around pushing the Princess to the ground as she was hit with the full blow of the magic. She crashed out the wall and hit the ground outside, coughing out blood.

Wiping some blood off her lip, she flew back in the room, just in time to stand between the Princess laying horrified on the ground and the bear demon about to stab her.

She jerked as the sword pierced her abdomen, a cry escaped her. Her face twisted in a snarl as she raised her leg and kicked the demon from the back, the sword pulling itself out from behind her.

The demon dropped to her knees, her violently trembling hand drawing a symbol on the Princess face, and her eyes glowed green. The Princess was then surrounded by a few of her shadow foxes, ready to protect her from the 'King' if need be.

Qu Er then flew in, transforming from bird to her human form. "Qu Er, I need you to look after the p-princess, " she coughed out some blood and wiped it away with her sleeve before continuing, "Take care of the servant's and soldiers, and make sure the advisors don't go looking for the Princess yet. I'll… lead it away from here." She stood up with the bird demon's assistance, silencing her protests with a look.

"Pass me the blood." Xiao Wei took a bottle of Pang Lang's blood and wrenched the sword from the wall, pouring the blood liberally over the blade's surface. A few drops dripped onto her hand, burning her slightly with green sparks but she showed no sign of pain save for a slight twitch in her hand. The fox demon let the Qu Er pass through the doorway before moving to step away herself, pausing when she heard the Princess speak behind her.

"You are not human." Jing breathed. Xiao Wei looked down at the trembling Princess with a sad look, before steeling her features into a cold smile.

"Correct, I am a demon."

And with a last glance at the hurt look on Jing's face, she raced outside to battle with the possessed King.

* * *

As soon as she stepped into open ground she was barraged with blasts of fire and she whirled around gracefully, avoiding them all. She returned with a few blasts of her own magic, but her exhaustion and sickness coupled with the wounds she had taken earlier slowed her reflexes significantly, and the fox found herself hit with a few more whips and burns of fire than she usually would have been.

She led him away from the castle grounds towards a forest, where they battled until they finally stood in the heart of the forest. In her demon form, she was covered in blood and her white hair cascaded down her torn and tattered clothes.

She threw the sword, and as expected, the 'King' dodged it, turning back to find a white blur racing towards his face. The fox bit and scratched, and the bear demon finally shed the human form, using its own massive paws to throw her against a tree. Shifting back into her human form, the entertainer removed the sword and stood her ground, howling at her adversary.

The bear demon roared once before running towards her, teeth bared and claws sharp and deadly.

Panting from exhaustion and pain, Xiao Wei snarled once more and ran to meet him, both demon's jumping to meet each other mid-air, swords against claws, magic against magic.

Sword pierced flesh and claws ripped through skin and muscle, green-blue light pushed against purple sparkles tinged with black, and soon two figures lay on the ground, unmoving, while the deadly ice crept up on one of them.

* * *

Qu Er's head snapped in the direction of the forest. Jie Jie was hurt, and the ice would soon catch up with her.

She flew around the buildings, spotting the Princess running towards the forest and stopped in front of her.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

Princess Jing looked to her through teary eyes and exclaimed, "I need to find her! Please, I love her, help me, please!"

Qu Er looked shocked at the admission before transforming her limbs, shouting out while she grabbed the Princess by the claws, flying towards the Princess. "Alright, but you need to know some things first…

* * *

They arrived to a horrible sight.

The two demons were standing amidst a sea of dirt and burnt, fallen trees. Ice was creeping up from every corner of the forest.

The two demons were laying on the ground, with the bear demon clearly dead. Xiao Wei was sprawled nearby, her body rapidly covering in ice, daggers sticking out from various parts of her.

Qu Er raced over, with Jing right behind. "Jie Jie! Wake up please!" The two did not notice a few shadowy wisps racing towards the Princess, ready to strike.

Xiao Wei, weakly raised her head, spotting the danger. Her eyes glowed an eerie green and her violently shaking hand splayed out towards the darts of darkness. The symbol she had painted earlier on Jing's cheek briefly lit up, with three dark foxes to race out and chase away the darkness, the fox demon's head dropping limply to the ground almost immediately after. Jing had frozen in shock but regained her composure instantaneously and rushed over towards her fallen love.

Jing hugged the woman's body to her, cradling it close to melt as much of the ice as possible. The fox demon did not stir, and Jing looked up to Qu Er. "Please, can't you do some sort of magic?"

"It won't work! And she won't heal herself or anything, not after Tian Lang, she hasn't eaten in forever, because she only wants to be human and she didn't want to disappoint you and…" The distressed bird demon rambled on until she started to screech and chirp.

The fox demon opened her eyes slowly, her voice gradually decreasing in volume, "M-my Princess? Why… are you h-here? You sh-sh-should… be with Huo Xin."

"Wh-what?"

"You-you should hate me. I am a demon."

"I love you, Xiao Wei! I don't care if you are a demon! Stay awake, okay, I love you, don't worry, please…"

"No, no… s-she… loves him… Pei Rong… J-Jing, no please, not Wang Sh-sheng…"

Showing no sign of hearing her, the fox demon continued to mumble out as her eyes slipped closed.

* * *

Qu Er stood up suddenly and told the Princess hurriedly, "Princess, if you want her to survive, you must tell me, are you willing to give her your heart?"

Jing, still in shock just looked up at her and stared blankly.

Qu Er shook Jing's shoulders with irritation. "When a human offers their heart willingly to a demon, the demon will turn human. However… you may turn yourself into a demon."

"Why did she do this for me?" Jing finally asked, a lost expression on her face.

"She loves you." Came the simple, short reply.

Jing hugged the demon to her even closer, before praying to the heavens to save the woman in her arms. "I don't care," she told Qu Er, "I just want her to live."

Qu Er bit her thumb, smearing her blood all over her palms before pressing them to the spot on her back just above the scarred lady's heart and the spot where Xiao Wei should have had one, murmuring a few words in some unknown language, her eyes glowing white.

Jing closed her eyes, thinking of the feelings stirred up in her chest when she saw the demon, the moment when she realised that she loved the demon when Huo Xin confessed, and the two agreed that they were better off as close companions. It had hurt though, when Xiao Wei started to push her away, but she was determined now to show her the love she deserved and never received, especially after hearing from the young bird demon about what she been through

* * *

When Xiao Wei opened her eyes, she was definitely not expecting to find herself under a large blanket, hugged tightly by someone.

She felt a tiny ray of sunlight on her face, and the warmth of a heartbeat in herself. Glancing around, she recognised herself to be in… Jing's room?

She dared not look up, for she knew that were she to look up, the illusion would be shattered. For if it was not Jing, then…

But if she _did _see the beautiful Princess, this torture, this horrible illusion taunting her with what she could not have… it would break her more than the ice could have ever hoped to have done.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she almost wanted to laugh.

* * *

The arms around her tightened, and she held her breath.

Deciding to go along while it lasted, Xiao Wei burrowed deeper into this woman's chest. Breathing in the smell of flowers and peaches, tears slipped down faster on her face.

"Xiao Wei."

This was the worst torture ever.

Xiao Wei forced herself to look up, and was met with the most stunning look of love on this look-a-like's face. The tears dropped faster.

'Jing' looked surprised and worried, and cupped her face gently. Xiao Wei started to tremble.

"How cruel…" she whispered, before she started to sob.

"Xiao Wei? Why are you crying?" A hand tilted her chin up, and she snarled.

"This is a lie! You are not her! Stop using her face! Stop it! Stop torturing me…" she shouted out brokenly.

Jing grabbed her and said firmly, "No! I am alive. Feel my heartbeat!"

"No, no it's a lie…" Xiao Wei refused adamantly.

Jing grabbed her hand and placed it on her chest. "I am alive, I saved you and I know you love me too so stop crying and listen to me!"

The shorter woman stilled, feeling the steady thumping under her heart. "How? I should be dead."

"I… I offered my heart to you willingly. You are human now too." And with that said, Jing swooped down and captured the woman's lips.

When they parted, Xiao Wei was blushing. "My Princess, this is not proper. Y-you have Huo Xin, h-he loves you and…"

Xiao Wei continued to stammer out excuses as Jing reached for something beside her, stopping her ramble when Jing popped a slice of peach into her mouth with a chuckle.

Watching her love calm down as she chewed on her favourite fruit, the unmasked Princess explained how she no longer loved Huo Xin, and how the confession actually went. When she heard how they were actually friends and not secretly in love or anything, the former demon actually blushed and Jing swore it was the cutest thing she had seen in her life.

"I love you." Jing told her, cupping the other woman's face and kissing her forehead.

"I love you too." Xiao Wei replied with an answering smile.

* * *

**Edit: Well I posted this earlier, but after reading through it again I realised there was a lot of holes, plus the fight scene was super rushed and incredibly vague. In short: THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. So, here. Improvement!**

**Beersmoo**


End file.
